Tim Hetherington

Tim Hetherington (Liverpool, UK, 1970 - Misrata, Libya, 2011) studied literature at Oxford University and after traveling independently in China, India and Pakistan, initially worked in book publishing. In 1996, he changed profession to photography, through a post-graduate diploma course in photojournalism at the University of Wales Cardiff. Hetherington worked first for The Big Issue, a magazine sold by the homeless, and later as a regular contributor to The Independent newspaper. As a freelance photographer and filmmaker, Hetherington was interested in creating diverse forms of visual narratives from long-term projects. He spent eight years focused on stories in Africa, living in both Sierra Leone and Liberia. In Liberia he covered the Second Civil War behind the lines with rebel fighters, helping to film James Brabazon’s Liberia: An Uncivil War (2004). Hetherington was a recipient of a fellowship from the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (2001-4), a Hasselblad Foundation grant (2002), and four World Press Photo awards (2000, 2002 and 2007). Hetherington was a participant in the 2002 World Press Photo Joop Swart Masterclass. In 2008 Hetherington was named a contributing photographer to Vanity Fair. Restrepo, the documentary he made about the US-Afghanistan war with Sebastian Junger received many accolades including an Oscar nomination (2011) and Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary (2010). Tim Hetherington was respected in the industry for being ahead of his time and for his ideas around what he called ‘transjournalism’ – working across media and distribution platforms to reach as broad an audience as possible. The multiple productions that resulted from his time in Afghanistan in 2007 are testament to his commitment making sure documentary work is seen, heard, read and felt. Tim Hetherington was respected in the industry for being ahead of his time and for his ideas around what he called ‘transjournalism’ – working across media and distribution platforms to reach as broad an audience as possible. The multiple productions that resulted from his time in Afghanistan in 2007 are testament to his commitment making sure documentary work is seen, heard, read and felt. While covering the conflict in Misrata, Libya, Tim Hetherington was killed on 20 April 2011.